Pelosi: Abortion and Gay Marriage Are Examples of 'Defining Freedom More Fully'

(CNSNews.com) – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said the possible reversal of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling must be put “in perspective.”

“What we want — women and families and everyone to focus on is the nature of this decision,” Pelosi told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday:

“This is — our country, the genius of our founders was to have a Constitution that enabled freedom to expand. And it did with marriage equality, it did with Roe v. Wade, in many ways, defining freedom more fully.

“This is the first time the court has taken back a freedom that was defined by precedent and respect for privacy. So, let’s stay focused on who we are as the country and not turn into something where we have to depend on the privacy. I think that’s all good. It’s helpful to the women, and that’s important.

“But it’s also important to know that this is not right. This is not the path of freedom for our country. So they’re putting freedom on the ballot. And our democracy has been on the ballot because of what they have — are doing to elections.

“But this is a place where freedom and the kitchen table issues of America’s families come together. What are the decisions that a family makes? What about contraception for young people? It’s just beyond a particular situation. It’s massive, in terms of contraception, in vitro fertilization, again, a woman’s right to decide.

“And it’s OK — we want to mitigate for the damage, but we have to get rid of the damage.”

‘That creature’

Pelosi’s disdain for former President Donald Trump resurfaced during the interview, as she faulted him for making the Supreme Court an election issue in 2016.

“[W]ho would have ever suspected that a creature like Donald Trump would become president of the United States, waving a list of judges that he would appoint, therefore, getting the support of the far right, and appointing those anti-just freedom justices to the court?

So, this is not about long game. We played a long game. We won Roe v. Wade a long time ago. We voted to protect it over time. We have fought, have elected a Democratic House of Representatives that is pro-choice.

The — again, you have the 60-vote thing in the Senate and some lack of clarity on part of some of the Republicans who say they’re pro-choice, and then vote against a woman’s right to choose.

But it isn’t — let’s not take our eye off the ball. The ball is this court, which is dangerous to the freedoms of our country. Beware in terms of marriage equality. Beware in terms of other aspects of it.

And so it is — let’s not waste our time on that. The fact is, this is a dangerous court to families, to freedom in our country. And that is why people have to mobilize. And my saying is, we don’t agonize; we organize. We go out there and make sure people know that, if they — actually, elections have consequences.”

Pelosi said she thinks a Supreme Court reversal of Roe “would have an impact” on the midterm elections.

“But right now, I want everyone to just focus, just focus on what this does and what this means to you.

“And I say this as a practicing, devout Catholic, five children in six years and one week, I don’t disrespect people’s views and how they want to live their lives. But I don’t think that it’s up to the Donald Trump appointees on the court or any politicians to make that decision for women.

“And I just do — I will just say what I have been saying for decades. Understand this. This is not just about terminating a pregnancy. This is about contraception, family planning. They have been against it. They have told, me some of my Republican colleagues, we’re not for any family planning domestically or internationally, when we have tried to get rid of the gag rule and things like that.

“So, this is as personal as it gets. ‘All politics is local’ — Tip (O’Neill). This politics is very personal.”

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